Topiary Panther MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Plant Cat |
| Abilities | Basic landcycling,Cycling,Landcycling,Trample |
| Released | 2024-02-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Murders at Karlov Manor |
| Set code | MKM |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 179 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Xabi Gaztelua |
Key Takeaways
- Topiary Panther offers dual utility as both a creature and a land, enhancing card efficiency.
- It can empower strategies through resource acceleration and its transformational capacity.
- However, it asks for precise mana and a discard, which may affect deck synergy.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Topiary Panther. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Decklist | Free form | 86#CS | |
 | Golgari Mill | Free form | Standard Pauper Tournament Feb 2024 | |
 | Five-color Midrange | Free form | Standard Pauper Tournament Feb 2024 | |
 | Sealed Deck | Limited | Murders At Karlov Mansion Pre-release |
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Topiary Panther MTG card by a specific set like Murders at Karlov Manor, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Topiary Panther and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Text of card
Trample Basic landcycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)
The gardens around Karlov Manor are oddly bereft of birdsong.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Topiary Panther card presents a subtle version of card advantage by virtue of its adaptability on the battlefield. Possessing the ability to transform from a creature spell into a land offers players a distinct way to maximize the utility of each card in their hand.
Resource Acceleration: This versatile feline accelerates your resources by morphing into a land when necessary, ensuring that mana is available when you most need it to deploy your strategies effectively and keep pace with the game’s demands.
Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the Topiary Panther can be bounced back to your hand at instant speed under certain conditions, giving you the strategic edge of flexibility and surprise, much like the instant speed spells that can shift the tide of a match in mere moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Topiary Panther prompts a drawback for players in a form of a discard requirement, potentially depleting valuable hand assets in the exchange for its presence on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: The summoning of Topiary Panther demands a precise mana arrangement that could hinder deck flexibility, making it a less versatile pick for a diverse mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost leaning on the higher side, players may find that the Topiary Panther competes with other creatures or spells that provide higher utility or impact within the same cost range, thereby questioning its value in a tightly curated deck.
Reasons to Include Topiary Panther in Your Collection
Versatility: Topiary Panther brings flexibility to any deck with its changeling ability, taking on any creature type you need. This allows it to blend seamlessly into tribal strategies, enhance type-specific buffs, or simply fill gaps in your creature lineup.
Combo Potential: As a creature with consistent potential for synergy, this card can become a linchpin in combos, particularly those involving creature type triggers or requirements. Its adaptability makes it a catalyst in an array of powerful interactions.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to adapt to various types of decks, Topiary Panther proves its worth in numerous meta scenarios. Its utilitarian nature enables it to combat or complement a variety of threats and strategies, ensuring its place in many competitive environments.
How to beat Topiary Panther
Encountering the Topiary Panther on the battlefield can be a challenge due to its versatility as a creature in MTG. Its adaptability, assuming the role of either an enchantment or a creature when needed, can surprise players who are unprepared. To effectively counter this card, it is essential to have removal that targets both enchantments and creatures at your disposal.
Cards like Abrade offer the flexibility needed as they can destroy an artifact or deal damage to a creature, whereas Disenchant strictly targets artifacts and enchantments, making it an excellent choice if the panther is still an enchantment. It’s also valuable to keep the board clear of multiple creatures, as the Topiary Panther gets tougher to deal with when it’s bolstered by other creatures or enchantments.
Playing around Topiary Panther’s modal nature calls for strategic planning. Holding back on casting removal until the opponent commits to a creature form can disrupt their game plan, forcing them to lose momentum. By anticipating its transformation and responding accordingly, one can maintain control of the game and diminish the impact of the Topiary Panther’s dual nature.
Cards like Topiary Panther
Topiary Panther is part of an ever-growing collection of creature cards with transformative features in Magic: The Gathering. It invites comparison with other shape-shifting entities such as Oko’s Hospitality, which also offers a dual nature of sorts. While Oko’s Hospitality can’t become a creature, it does transform noncreature tokens with a power and toughness alteration. Topiary Panther, in contrast, begins its life as an enchantment and can later morph into a creature, providing versatility.
Another card worth noting is Guardian Idol. It parallels the potential of Topiary Panther to switch between a noncreature state and a creature form. Though Guardian Idol flips from an artifact to a creature rather than an enchantment to a creature, it similarly offers adaptability on the battlefield. However, unlike Topiary Panther, the Idol lacks the natural synergy with enchantment-focused strategies.
Evaluating these comparisons highlights Topiary Panther’s unique blend of early game enchantment benefits and late game creature utility. This adaptability positions the Topiary Panther favorably among MTG cards that flex between forms, catering to players who appreciate strategic shape-shifting in their game plan.
Cards similar to Topiary Panther by color, type and mana cost
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Topiary Panther has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Standardbrawl | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |